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(268 views)
For an unforgettable wildlife experience, I highly recommend the Elkhorn Slough Safari in Moss Landing. We saw over one hundred sea otters, almost eighty harbor seals and dozens of sea lions very up close and personal.
This photo shows a raft of about eighty sea otters. Raft is the official label for a bunch of otters hanging out together, looking like a raft.
In addition to sea mammals, I also photographed sixteen species of birds. The trip was two hours of wildlife bliss. There were a few . . . |
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(267 views)
Two Macaws preening one another. A very intimate, gentle moment in a birds' life.
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(265 views)
Here is an older otter, recognized by the light colored fur on its face. It is grooming itself after eating. Otters must have one of the cutest faces in the animal kingdom
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(265 views)
This photo shows just part of a very large raft of otters we saw in the Elkhorn Slough. The older individuals had light faces, and such cute faces they were.
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(264 views)
This is one otter trying to persuade another otter to share its meal. It wasn't very successful.
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(264 views)
A shell was almost the size of the otter's head, but was no match for its appetite.
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(263 views)
The otter balanced his "plate" on his stomach while enjoying that last little morsel.
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(263 views)
A lone individual popped up out of the water after a dive for food. We suspected he has a clam grasped in his paws. Otters love shellfish.
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(263 views)
Here is another otter grooming or maybe he is thinking "oh, not another boatload of paparazzi!"
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(263 views)
Sea Otters appeared to spend a great deal of their time grooming themselves. They use their bodies as tables, so have to keep food scraps washed off. While they clean, they also push and sometimes blow air bubbles into their fur. The extra air trapped in their fur contributes to their buoyancy and increases insulation.
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(262 views)
It was beautiful day in Santa Cruz and I had been photographing the sea lions when this pelican landed a few feet away on the pier railing.
If there was ever a compelling visual argument for birds being the modern descendants of dinosaurs, it's the pelican. I could easily imagine them flying just out of reach above the snapping jaws of some aquatic sea monster.
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(262 views)
The lion demonstrated camouflage.
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(262 views)
This photo shows a sea lion swimming in the late afternoon sunlight beneath the wharf in Santa Cruz. Lovely light on a lovely animal.
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(261 views)
To our left as we exited the harbor and entered the slough, we saw an old pier covered with sea lions. We slowly motored past them. It was quite satisfying to be at their level and so close to them. I feel like I ended up with a family portrait instead of a wildlife photo.
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(261 views)
These two pelicans were one pair of dozens loitering around the marina, all waiting for a fishy opportunity. The one on the left was an immature bird which had not grown into its adult plumage.
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(261 views)
The King contemplated freedom.
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(261 views)
The King of the Jungle appeared regal that day.
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(260 views)
A female avocet sits on her eggs. When the tide comes in this nest will barely be above the water.
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(260 views)
A large group of pelicans were perched on the fish processing equipment.
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(260 views)
The Spectacled Bear is the only bear that comes from South America. I hope this unique and beautiful endangered bear survives.
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(260 views)
The pelican glides effortlessly over the surface of the sea.
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(260 views)
The fisherman hadn't noticed that a pelican had just landed next to him on the pier.
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(260 views)
King of the mountain and he knows it.
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(260 views)
This bedraggled juvenile black-crowned night heron was perched on the dock near the boat we were going to use. I hoped it wasn't a harbinger of how our trip would turn out.
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(260 views)
This Capybara needs a good brushing.
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